Remember When: May of 1988

The month of May and along with it, high school graduations. Norwalk High sent out 182 in 1988. St. Paul graduated 50. One-hundred and eighty-two turned their tassels at the Willard ceremony. At Norwalk, Principal Michael Johnston welcomed the seniors one final time. It was the 138th ceremony at Norwalk's public high school. It was the 66th class that gathered at St. Paul Catholic Church for the ceremony. It was a special day for the Missler family. A son of the parish, Fr. John Missler, delivered the homily. Two members of the graduating class were his brother and sister, twins, Janet and Jennifer Missler. The Willard ceremony, held Friday night, was highlighted by speeches from classmates Brian Napier and Brian Knueppel. Shepherd wins shot title New London's Keith Shepherd made the third time the charm. The lanky senior was making his third appearance at the state track meet on Saturday. It would be his most memorable as he won the title with a heave in the preliminaries of 56-5 3/4. No one could better that mark in the finals. Shepherd believed it would take a throw of 60 feet to win the Class A title but that would not be the case. He admitted he would have felt a bit more comfortable as the competition went on had he been able to come close to his personal best of 58 feet, recorded at the Crestview Invitational earlier in the season. He advanced from the regional with a record effort of 56-10 1/2. Shepherd placed fourth at the state as a sophomore but then failed to make the podium last spring. He is the first state champion from New London since Willard Farrell won the shot title in 1983. The area had a number of state meet qualifiers including the only AAA entry, Norwalk High jumper Troy Jensen. The New London girls, competing in the AA division, sent Amy Lavengood in the discus, Laura Mensch in the long jump, Missy Harris in the 800, Kim Smith in the 200 and Anne Roeder in the 3200. Edison's Kim Bibb qualified in the 100 meter high hurdles while Willard ladies to advance included Stephanie Kegley in the high jump and the 800 meter relay team composed of Kegley, Leslie French, Lisa Wheeler and Dawn Newland. Along with Shepherd for Bob Knoll's New London squad, it was the 1600 relay team of Jason Blystone, Chris Cowle, Kevin Robson and Mike Abfall, Tim Sword in the 3200, Robson in the 100 and 200 meter dashes and Abfall in the 400. Western Reserve sent its 1600 meter relay team composed of Jeff Brucker, Kevin Campbell, Jason Linder and Dane Burke along with 800 meter run competitor Brian Shinsky. Stewart signs as free agent Norwalk's All-Ohio football player Mike Stewart was passed over in the NFL draft after a stellar pass-catching season as a member of the Pitt Panthers. But, after two camps with the New York Giants, he has been contacted by that franchise and has signed a two-year free agent contract. It was just 20 minutes after the NFL draft ended when a New York representative called him, telling him to be on a flight bound for East Rutherford, N.J. to take part in the first of two mini-camps. It was big-time football for the former Trucker because on the other side of the line were people like Harry Carson and Lawrence Taylor just waiting to level him. On his side, however, were stars like Mark Bavaro, Joe Morrison and quarterback Phil Simms. Like-father, like-son Mark Walter is taking a "page" from his father's book, page that is as in the Ohio House of Representatives. Mark, the son of Fred and Bunny Walters, the Norwalk City Schools superintendent, is a senior at The Ohio State University. He was nominated for duty as a house page by Joanne Davidson from Reynoldsburg. Thirty years ago, Fred Walter was a page at the Capitol. Mark, who for the next four years will be a Marine after he is commissioned after graduation, plans on becoming a teacher which is the same occupational route his father took. Hackathorn earns prestigious medal Navy Commander Dennis Hackathorn has received the Meritorious Service Medal for saving taxpayers millions of dollars. The commendation from Admiral C.A. Trost, chief of Naval operations, states, "through exacting management, extraordinary technical competence and superior judgment, Hackathorn initiated and successfully implemented complex procurement strategies and improved business practices which expanded the P-3 weapons systems capabilities, accelerated the integration of new technologies and achieved significant cost savings." Trost went on to say that Hackathorn's competence achieved those ends without jeopardizing fleet support. He was said to be responsible for saving the government $8.5 million because of his more efficient business practices. A 1983 St. Paul graduate, Hackathorn graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1987. Now based in Alexandria, Va., earlier in his career, he was a naval pilot, flying fixed-wing reconnaissance aircraft. Doctor's day in the sun It truly was a "Day in the Sun" for Norwalk doctors Hal Schultz, Bob Hoffecker and Don King as they threw the ball around at the start of Bantam Division play in Norwalk's Lefty Grove League. The three doctors donated land to the league and in doing so made available the property for a fourth playing field, this one right behind their Milan Avenue office. Pruner field is set With the medal round over, the field is now set for the playing of the 1988 Pruner Handicap Tournament at the Elks Club. Defending champion Perry Dryden is already in the bracket. Around him are the other qualifiers from medal play, Bob Schoenegge, Wes Preston, Neil Robinson and Don Riley in the upper bracket. In the lower, it is Gary Keefer, Fred Waugh, Bob Rahall and Dan Myntti. Dryden draws in when he gets the winner of the Rahall-Myntti match. Truckerettes introduced The gals who will boost Trucker spirit next year were announced this morning. They are Jamie Young, Krista Brady, Lisa Gough, Ingrid Myntti, Stacy Filip, Lori Moyer, Tracy White, Rebecca Short, Rachel Emmons, Chris Judd and Stacy Resseger. Cashes in bass series Dick Wilson from New Haven won $1,332 in placing second in the Budweiser Bass Fishing Series held at Indian Lake in Bellefontaine, Ohio Wilson caught three fish totaling eight pounds, 15 ounces. The largest tipped the scales at four pounds, 12 ounces. The winner caught six fish totaling nine pounds, 14 ounces. Hastings sixth in event Also in Bellefontaine over the weekend, Ben Hastings, the veteran rider from Berlin Heights, finished sixth in the Ohio-West Virginia district United State Cycling Federation road race. Hastings needed to jump up three spots to earn a spot in the national finals in August. Hastings, 17, was one of seven riders who broke away from the field on the last lap of the 60-mile event. Robinson's at home on No. 5 Neil and Marcia Robinson certainly know what club to pull on No. 5 at the Elks course. Last Thursday, Neil aced the hole for a second time, using a 9-iron. Marcia witnessed a shot that was anything but new to her. She did the same in 1980 and again in 1983. Neil's first came in 1981.